This post covers the best camera arms for hunting currently on the market. Each camera arm is different and has pros and cons. The best camera arm for you will depend on your hunting style. This post will help you choose which camera arm is right for you by comparing each of these camera arms.
I got my hands on the Muddy Hunt Hard, Muddy Outfitter, and Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm to try out. The other camera arms I have not been able to use, at least not yet. However, I’ve been able to consolidate reviews to make a good argument for the pros and cons of every camera arm in this review.
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Table of Contents
How To Choose Camera Arms For Hunting
The main specifications to look for when choosing a camera arm are:
- Price
- Weight/Bulk
- Camera Weight Capacity
- Arm Reach
- Level Bubble
- Fiddle Factor
We will be going over each of the specs in the post below, and I have created a spreadsheet that will help you compare each camera arm so you can find the best camera arm for you.
Use Camera Arm Ratchet Strap Quietly
Camera arms usually come with ratchet straps to securely attach to the trees. Ratchet straps are loud if you don’t know how to operate them properly in hunting situations. Fortunately, ratchet straps can be used quietly so that you don’t spook animals when you’re setting up your camera.
The trick to using your ratchet strap quietly is to make sure the locking plate does not slip in the gears when ratcheting or when reloading the ratchet. You can do this by pulling up on the locking plates as you tighten the ratchet. It’s not perfectly quiet, but it’s so much quieter than ratcheting regularly.
Attaching Camera To A Camera Arm
In the list of camera arms for hunting below, the companies often will have a camera head/mount that you can buy as an additional option with an additional cost. If you would like to purchase your camera head mount you can buy anything that will fit the thread size of the camera arm.
Camera Heads For Filming Hunts
Fluid heads are the go-to choice for filming hunts because they offer fluid motion and are good at keeping the camera in place when you’re going for the shot with the right friction settings. I’ve linked to a good-quality one below that won’t break the bank.
Camera Arm Comparison Chart
| Brand/Model | Price | Weight (lbs) | Weight Capacity (lbs) | Arm Reach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muddy Hunt-Hard | 55 | 5 | 6 | 24 |
| Muddy Outfitter | 100 | 4.5 | 10 | 40 |
| Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm | 199 | 4.5 | 10 | 38 |
| Fourth Arrow Pro | 300 | 7.25 | 18 | 42 |
| Lone Wolf Pocket Arm | 250 | 1.6 | 5 | 29 |
Muddy Hunt Hard Camera Arm
Pros
The Muddy Hunt Hard Camera Arm is one of the less-expensive options on the market but still offers a lot of features. Also, unlike most camera arms, it comes with a camera mount. This means it is hunt-ready right out of the box and no other items will need to be purchased to start filming.
It comes with a ratchet strap and a tree base so it has no issues securely attaching to trees. It has adjustments so that you can level the camera when it’s attached to the tree, a level bubble is included so you can be sure you’ve got a leveled camera shot.
Cons
It is a fairly heavy camera arm for its size coming in at around 5 lbs. The camera friction head has also been known to loosen when turning to the left because it loosens the screw on the camera mount. This makes it hard to keep your camera aimed in one spot on the left axis. You might need to do some simple DIY fixes to get it to perform optimally.
Trade-Off
The trade-off here is cost vs quality. This camera arm is very cheap which is great, but it might not perform perfectly in some cases until some changes are made.
Muddy Outfitter Camera Arm
Pros
The Muddy Outfitter Camera Arm is one of the most popular camera arms for hunting. This camera arm is Muddy’s mid-sized camera arm. There are a lot of fine-tuning adjustments so that you can always get a perfectly leveled shot. This camera arm comes with a ratchet strap to secure the large tree-base attachment and is heavy which prevents camera ‘wobble’ or ‘shake’ for very stable footage.
Cons
Because the base of these camera arms is bulky they can be less portable compared to other camera arms. They are also more awkward to hang in trees because of their bulk.
Trade-Off
The trade-off with having a lot of adjustability and steadiness comes at the cost of increased weight and bulk.
Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm
Pros
The Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm is one of the most popular camera arms for hunting. This camera arm is comparable to Muddy’s Outfitter arm in weight, both coming in at 4.5 lbs. The Fourth Arrow Camera Arm has increased in popularity in the hunting community because it is more compact and has less fiddle factor. The tree base attachment is well thought out.
Cons
Because this camera arm can be a little more jittery when it is fully extended from the tree compared to the heavier models. That said if you make sure to fasten it down snug to the tree it is very stabilized, especially with light to mid-weight cameras. It is also noticeably louder because of its rougher finish. This brushing against this finish really echos inside the hollow camera arm.
Trade-Off
The trade-off for this camera arm is that you’re sacrificing stability to have a less bulky and more compact camera arm setup.
Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm Pro
Pros
This pro camera arm is the big brother to the Stiff Arm. It is bigger and heavier than all of the other camera arms in this review for very stable video and that can support very heavy camera rigs. If you’re looking for the next step up in video quality and are using heavy equipment, this is the camera arm you’ll need. It’s still a very straightforward set up just like the regular Stiff Arm.
Cons
This arm is heavy and bulky, making it more difficult to set up and carry on long trips to the treestand. It is the heaviest camera arm in this review coming in a 7.25 lbs with everything included. This camera arm is for professionals with heavy camera rigs.
Trade-Off
The trade-off with having a lot of adjustability, steadiness, and the ability to hold very heavy camera rigs comes at the cost of increased weight.
Lone Wolf Custom Gear Pocket Arm
Pros
The biggest features of the camera arm are how lightweight, low-profile, and innovative compared to other camera arms on the market. Coming in at 1.6 lbs with everything included, it is by far the lightest camera arm in this review and was designed with the mobile hunter/filmer in mind.
This arm also has a very unique way of attaching to the tree without needing a large tree base. For example, once the strap is around the tree and connected to the base you will hand-tighten a screw located at the top of the base. This will push the camera base away from the tree, resulting in more pressure being placed on the strap. This results in a lot of leverage on the strap creating a very snug and sturdy fit against the tree.
Cons
Because the camera arm is very lightweight it can’t hold heavy cameras, it is only rated to 5 lbs. This camera arm has the smallest weight capacity of any of the arms in this review. It is also a fairly pricey camera arm for its size, so you will have to determine if the pros outweigh the cons for your hunting style.
Trade-Off
The trade-off with having a lightweight and portable camera arm comes at the cost of price and weight capacity in this case.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this post helped you gain some clarity on the right camera arm for you. By clicking on different headings of the Camera Arm Comparison Chart you will be able to filter the camera arms so you can easily compare specs.
You might also like my other hunting camera gear-related posts:
Best Video Cameras For Hunting | Filming Your Hunts (All Budgets)
